CROCCHÈ

Potato crocchè is a typical Italian street food recipe. A creamy mashed potato ball coated in crispy breadcrumbs, to be eaten straight out of the frying pan while they are still hot.

ORIGINS

Potato crocchè is a typical Italian dish, and it is impossible to track down the original recipe given that there are many different versions throughout Italy. This dish is known under a different name in every region: in Naples, they are called crocché, in Palermo they are known as “cazzilli”, and are made with minced parsley and served in a long Italian loaf of bread.

RECIPE

The Palermo “cazzilli” is an easy recipe, perfect as an appetizer or to be served during cocktail hour, wherever you are.

INGREDIENTS

1 kg of potatoes

A sprig of parsley

Seed oil

Salt

1 tablespoon of corn starch

PREPARATIONS

To make the perfect crocchè, boil the potatoes without removing the skin in an abundant quantity of hot water. Once they are cooked, drain them and rinse them in cold water: that way the skin will be easier to peel off.

After peeling the potatoes, mash them with the minced parsley and the corn starch, which will help make the consistency more compact. Use your hands to shape the croquettes. Rinse your hands often to avoid getting the potatoes stuck on you.

After heating the seed oil in a fry pan, add the croquettes and let them fry until they turn into crispy golden balls. Serve them hot, in a sandwich of white Italian bread or on their own as finger food, decorated with a lemon wedge.

INTERESTING FACTS

Did you know? The Palermo “cazzilli” is a recipe traditionally made by lower-class Sicilians. The original recipe was made with old potatoes!

To follow the real Palermo tradition, the “cazzilli” should be served with “panelle”, a typical Palermo fritter made of flour and chickpeas.